Meanwhile, in Dama’s cabin, Giona sat on his bed, clutching the blanket tightly as she stared at the wall.

  She had tried to fall asleep—to let time pass like she used to do in her cell. Back then, it was all she could manage to escape the cold, oppressive reality of her existence. But now, no matter how hard she tried, sleep refused to come.

  Her body felt strange. It was awake, restless even, brimming with energy she wasn’t used to. It was a stark contrast to the constant fatigue she had endured in her prison. While she knew she should be relieved about this, the unfamiliar sensation left her uneasy.

  Unbidden, memories of her time in the cell naturally began creeping into her thoughts. The suffocating darkness, the overwhelming loneliness, the endless days of nothingness. Giona shook her head, balling her hands into fists and pressing them against her temples. "Stop..."

  But the more she tried to push the memories away, the more they clawed their way back, filling her mind with despair. Tears welled up in her eyes, and a soft whimper escaped her lips. She felt powerless, trapped in a cycle of remembering and reliving.

  It was then a gentle nudge on her arm startled her. Blinking through her tears, she looked beside her to see Nini, her front paws resting on the edge of the bed. The stitched creature’s black slit for eyes seemed to glow with emotion, concern being the main one, as she rubbed her nose against Giona’s arm.

  Giona sniffled, wiping at her tears with trembling hands. “Hehee…” she whispered.

  Nina nuzzled her again, her soft fur brushing against Giona’s skin like a soothing wave. Giona reciprocated remembering what Dama does and reached out, her fingers rubbing Nini’s head.

  Nini let out a soft, comforting sound as her head gave way to Giona's touch, her warmth grounding Giona and pulling her away from the haunting memories.

  A faint smile broke through the sadness on Giona’s face as she continued to stroke Nini’s fur. “Woah...” she murmured, her voice barely audible but full of gratitude.

  Yet again, Giona started to feel a rising warmth in her chest, realizing it's the same feeling she felt with Dama and Tsubasa. She may not know it now, but what she's feeling is the budding start of a genuine connection with something else.

  Pulling away, Giona stared at her palm, the one she had just used to pet Nini. She then curled her fingers, trying to hold onto the fleeting warmth, as if storing it within her memory.

  Her thoughts drifted to Dama, his voice echoing in her mind. She remembered the way he said Nini's name, the affection in his tone, the way his face lit up when he called out to her.

  Taking note of this, her lips began to tremble as she hesitated, then parted slightly. “N… Ni…” she stammered, her voice faltering as the unfamiliar shape of the word tripped her up. She winced, feeling a pang of frustration, but then she noticed Nini's reaction.

  Nini wagged her tail excitedly, her eyes as wide as ovals, and despite being voids of black, glowed with encouragement. She gave numerous enthusiastic nods, as if urging Giona to keep going.

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  Giona blinked at her, startled by the burst of energy, but something about Nini’s unwavering support gave her courage. She tried again. “Ni… Ni…” The syllables were clumsy, her voice barely audible, but it was progress.

  Nini then began padding the bed in both approval and as a way to work out her excitement, her tail wagging even faster.

  Giona’s chest tightened, her lips quirking into the faintest of smiles. She clenched her fists to steady herself and took a deep breath. “N...Nini.” This time, the word came out clearer. Still shaky, still soft, but enough to make Nina hop excitedly on her paws, the stitches on her face curling up into a wide smile. Giona’s own smile grew, a small but genuine glimmer of triumph sparking within her.

  “Ni…Nini!” she repeated, the word becoming a bit easier. The warmth in her chest grew as Nina leaned into her, nuzzling her side as if to say: "You did it!"

  For the first time in what felt like forever, Giona let out a small, breathy laugh, her heart feeling a bit lighter. Nini’s name, simple as it was, carried more weight than she could express. It wasn’t just a name—it was a connection, a tether to something safe, something good, something she could trust.

  When it comes to Nini, she relished the opportunity and bounded across the small room to a wardrobe nestled against the wall near the desk. Giona tilted her head, her curiosity piqued, as she watched Nini's tail coil around the wardrobe handle. With a deft pull, she swung the door open, revealing neatly folded clothing within.

  Inside were trousers in muted shades of black, gray, and brown, accompanied by a tidy stack of shirts, jackets, and sweaters, all predominantly green in various tones with some other colors here and there.

  Giona blinked, her eyes tracing over the wardrobe's contents as Nini seemed to carefully inspect the items with a wag of her tail.

  After a moment, Nini’s tail extended toward the stack of sweaters. She selected one—a deep forest green, slightly worn at the edges—and picked it up with her tail. Turning back to Giona, Nini trotted over, the sweater swaying as it hung from her tail’s grip.

  Stopping in front of Giona, Nini raised her tail higher, offering the sweater. Giona’s brow furrowed as she hesitated, staring at the soft fabric. Slowly, she extended her hands and took it from Nini’s tail.

  As her fingers ran over the sweater’s material, Giona noticed its softness and the faint scent clinging to it—a subtly sweet scent that comforted her. She rubbed the fabric between her hands, her expression caught between curiosity and puzzlement.

  Looking back at Nini, Giona tilted her head, the question plain on her face: "What do you want me to do with this?"

  Nini jumped in one spot, her tail wagging as she leaned closer, her excitement bubbling over. Her eyes seemed to gleam with anticipation, urging Giona to make the connection and say Dama's name.

  However, realizing Giona was still puzzled after a few minutes, Nini lowered herself onto all fours, her ears twitching as she scanned the room for something to bridge the gap in communication. Her gaze settled on the desk across the room, where a framed picture caught her attention. Deciding it was perfect, she trotted over.

  At the desk, Nini took a moment to inspect its contents. There was Dama’s feather pen resting in a cup of ink, several pieces of paper scattered about, with one piece in particular displaying both "Dama" and "Giona" written in Dama’s distinct handwriting.

  But it was the silver-framed picture tucked into the corner that she focused on. With the utmost care, Nini curled her tail around the frame and gently lifted it, her movements deliberate and cautious.

  Giona watched curiously from the bed, her brow furrowing as she noticed how careful Nini handled the frame. It was almost as if Nini feared dropping it, her every step measured.

  When Nina finally reached the bed, she placed the frame beside Giona with care, taking a step back to observe her reaction.

  At first, Giona’s attention was caught by the frame itself. The silver edges glimmered from the sunlight streaming in through the window. She picked up the frame and turned it over in her hands a couple of times, intrigued by its craftsmanship. Then her gaze shifted to the picture inside.

  Her breath caught in her throat as she recognized a younger Dama standing among three other people. Her eyes widened, drinking in every detail.

  -

  Next: (Extra Chapter 11) Giona and Nini: Part 2